Bright Skies, Dim Futures
by BlindArcherCommissions
Summary: Kai has been watching out for Lloyd for a while. He can't exactly remember how long he's had this little ten year old mutation by his side, but Kai is doing his best to be a strong big brother to him. But..is Lloyd smarter than the others give him credit for? (Idk it's 3am and kara-is-so-ninja's gangster apocalypse au smacked me in the face and said write so here you go. :0 )


Kai stretched and got comfortable in his spot on the concrete, sitting in the boarded up hallway of the abandoned hospital they'd managed to find for shelter. It was his turn to guard the entrance, and he didn't mind it. He was..exhausted from helping the others fight to get into this place. He still hadn't found Nya..he missed his little sister. Sighing and digging in his worn out pants pocket, Kai pulled out a picture. It was the only picture he had left of her, and right now it hurt to look at. Wiping at his eyes and laying his head back against the wall, Kai shut his eyes and just let tears slip down his face. He was alone currently..so showing this much emotion wasn't an issue. "I'm sure she's alive..she's gotta be." He said to himself, shaking his head. "She's strong..right? Stay strong sis. I'll find ya." Kai rested in that spot and dozed off for a little while, clutching Nya's picture in his hand. Grunting and opening his eyes when he felt someone nudging him, Kai tiredly looked at the little blonde ten year old he'd been traveling with for a while. "Lloyd..? Whats wrong?" He looked out the window-or at least the small gap between the boards. "Its still dark outside..can you not sleep?" Lloyd shook his head and looked at the picture in Kai's hand. "That's Nya, right Kai?" Kai's fingers instinctively gripped the old photograph, nodding. "Yeah, it is." The boy lifted his head to look at him. Lloyd could tell Kai had been crying. "You're scared she's gone, aren't you?" He sighed and watched the blonde. "Yeah..I am. She was all I had before I met you, and the others.." Lloyd looked at the spikes over his arms. His infection had just been getting worse..and he wasn't dumb. He knew he'd either lose himself or the others would kill him to put him out of his misery when the pain and infection became too great. "Would..you miss her if she really were dead?" He frowned and raised an eyebrow at Lloyd, seemingly confused. "Of course I would miss her..what-" Lloyd started to shake, scooting closer too Kai. "Would..you miss me?" The brunette watched the young kid start crying. "What are you talking about? Lloyd, you aren't dyin-"

Lloyd tensed and yelled at Kai, eyes narrowed as tears slipped down his cheeks. "Shut up! Just..just shut up, okay? You guys gotta stop treating me like I'm stupid! Like I don't.." He shut his eyes and sighed, opening them too look at the floor. "Like I don't know I'm getting worse.." Kai paused, watching him vent his frustrations. Lloyd was right..he was a kid, but they'd been treating him too much like one. Almost like they thought he wouldn't notice their conversations about his infection spreading. "Lloyd..kid, listen-" Lloyd kept his gaze to the floor, sniffling and letting himself cry. "An..Answer my question, Kai. Would you miss me?" The brunette sighed and ran a hand through his hair, staying silent for a brief moment before nodding. "Yeah..I would. You're like a little brother to me. You're family, man. I wouldn't change that for anything." Lloyd looked at Kai, wiping his eyes. "Really? Even though I'm.." The child's voice trailed off, and Kai nodded. He knew what Lloyd was trying to say. "Yeah..even though you're infected..and getting worse." Lloyd was silent for a moment, watching Kai's expression. "You're scared..all of you are, aren't you? You're scared of me..-" Kai shook his head and slowly tugged Lloyd into his arms, holding him. "We aren't scared of you, it's just.." He shut his eyes and sighed, laying his head back against the wall. "We're scared of your future. Of what all of us know this infection will do to you." Lloyd tensed up a little and gripped Kai's shirt, whining. "I didn't ask to be like this, Kai! I'm only ten, I-" Kai opened his eyes and looked down at the blonde. "None of us asked for any of this, kid. I don't think the other infected asked to be that way, either." Lloyd sighed and slowly let go of his shirt. "Kai, I'm just..scared. I know you all have plans..or sort of plans for when I turn." He swallowed and watched Lloyd nervously. "You heard us arguing about that? Well I mean..heard me, Jay and Cole..Zane was probably signing angrily." Lloyd chuckles, shaking his head. "I..I'm really trying to understand sign a bit more, but his hands were a blur. You guys must've made him mad." Kai rubbed the back of his neck, sighing. "I mean..yeah. We were talking about killing you..we just don't know how long you have left before the infection fully takes over. I think he was mad at the possibility of killing a child..or someone innocent."

Lloyd frowned and seemed confused, watching Kai. "Zane..called me innocent?" Kai chuckled and rubbed Lloyd's head. "Of course he did. You're a kid, y'know? You never wanted to be infected, man. I really don't think you're bad. I never did..and as for Jay spazzing out the first time we met all of them.." He shook his head. "I think he was just a little freaked out when he found out you were infected but..not taken over. Because he's never seen it before. With all the infected they've seen before.." Lloyd sighed, shaking his head. "He was scared of me..right?" Kai nodded, running a hand through his own hair. "Yeah. He was. But..I don't blame him. I mean look outside, Lloyd. We had to fight through a crowd of infected just to get in here." Silence for a while. The only noise was a storm starting outside, and thunder rumbling in the sky. Kai frowned when Lloyd wouldn't speak. So much stress for a little kid..then again, Kai and the others were teenagers..they were all stressed. But it was the life they all led. Lloyd sighed and finally spoke, lifting his head and watching Kai. "Can..I ask you something Kai?" The brunette raised an eyebrow and frowned. "Of course you can, Lloyd. What is it?" He seemed to pause for a moment, as if searching for the right way to phrase his question. "I..know I'm gonna turn, Kai. There's no cure. At least we haven't been able to find one. So..when..when I-" Lloyd's voice shook and he swallowed the pain building in his throat. "When I turn, would..would you.." Kai could feel a pain in his chest, and he felt..fear. Was Lloyd asking what he thought he was? He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Lloyd wiped at his eyes again, trying not to cry. "Would you be the one to kill me?" That did it. Kai's expression shifted from concern to pain. "Lloyd, no! What are you talking about? I can't..-" The blonde shook his head and started to cry again, watching Kai. "Please, Kai I think the others would be too squeamish to-" Kai hesitated to speak, watching Lloyd break down. He was being asked to take someone's **life**. He did it all the time to the Infected, but this was different. This was his _little brother_. His _**family**_. "I.." He searched for the right words to comfort the shaking and sobbing child in his lap, looking over the spikes creeping up his arms again and seeing Lloyd wince in pain. "Lloyd, this is..a big request..I-" He flinched when Lloyd hugged him, feeling the blonde stop himself before he squeezed his spiked arms into Kai. It was a light hug..but Kai knew that Lloyd likely wanted to hug him tightly.

Sighing and holding Lloyd, Kai let him lay his head on his chest. "..Alright." Lloyd stilled when he heard Kai say that. He slowly looked up at Kai and watched him. Kai looked like he was struggling with the decision internally, there was a pained expression on his face. "Kai..-" The brunette shook his head. "It's what you want, right?" It was what his little brother wanted. Really the only thing Kai had ever heard him ask for. Lloyd wiped at his eyes and nodded, looking down. "I..yeah, it is what I want. I don't care how you do it, just-" Kai shushed him and shook his head. "I ain't gonna let you suffer when I do it. I wouldn't have the heart to see you suffer-" Lloyd laughed bitterly, rolling his eyes at Kai and gesturing to the spikes on his arms. "As if I'm not already suffering, Kai." He could feel his eyes stinging as he started tearing up, shoving Lloyd gently. "Man you've been hanging around Jay too much. Being sarcastic when you're in pain-" Lloyd laid his head back down onto Kai's chest and sighed. "He only acts that way because he's hurting, too. I think being friends with all of you helps him.." Kai sighed and ran a hand through the child's hair, trying to comfort him so he wouldn't cry himself into an inconsolable mess. "We're all hurting, Lloyd. Some more than others, but.." Lloyd shut his eyes and held onto Kai again. "But we all help each other, right? No one..no one will be left behind? Except me, I mean." Kai rested his head on top of Lloyd's, shutting his eyes. "You know we'll take care of you, Lloyd. I mean, we aren't gonna dump you in an unmarked hole and move on-" Kai winced at his choice of words, feeling Lloyd shake in his arms again, and the front of his shirt was getting wet. Lloyd was crying again. "Kai, are you sure you want to do this? It'll hurt you..-" He lost his voice when a painful mental image forced it's way into his mind. It wasn't a vision, but a what if. Kai was shaking, turning away from him and aiming his pistol. He was conflicted, but he'd promised. Lloyd snapped out of the thought when he felt Kai gently shaking him. "Lloyd? What's wrong?" He swallowed and shivered, looking at Kai. "Make it fast and painless, please..aim for a spot that'll take me down instantly, Kai. I..-" Kai shushed him and rubbed his head, giving him a weak smile. Taking a breath and nodding, Kai kept his smile and tried to keep his voice steady as he spoke. He knew Lloyd was terrified.

 _ **"I will. I promise."**_


End file.
